By Wesley Sykes
Hempstead, N.Y.- Seth Tierney finally got the best of his Uncle Bill Saturday afternoon. Seth’s Hofstra Pride team defeated Uncle Bill’s No. 3 Princeton Tigers, 9-7. In the family series, Bill Tierney has the 2-1 advantage over his nephew.
Hofstra freshman goalie, Andrew Gvozden, got the first win of his career in only his second Division 1 start. Gvozden was inserted as the starting goalie for the Pride last week when junior goalie Danny Orlando left the team for the year citing family issues. He faced the buzz saw of perennial powerhouses Johns Hopkins last week and the Princeton Tigers yesterday. “I was very nervous coming into this game,” said Gvozden, “but it’s always big to get that first save and then settle down.”
Gvozden, the brother of Johns Hopkins junior goalie Michael Gvozden, avenged his brother’s 14-8 loss to Princeton on February 28. “He told me that I would do fine as a long as I played my game and didn’t over think everything,” said Gvozden on his conversation with his brother, Michael.
“So far he’s handled everything like a professional. He’s only played 8-10 weeks of Division 1 lacrosse due to a shoulder injury in the fall, so he’s had to do a lot of on-the-job training. It’s his defense now,” said Tierney of his freshman goalie.
Hofstra (3-1) fought off a 4-0 second half surge by Princeton (4-1) highlighted by junior attackman Jack McBride’s two unassisted goals to cut the lead to 7-5. “We knew they were going to come back. They’re a good team with a lot of great shooters,” said senior middie Anthony Muscarella.
Muscarella led the offensive attack for the Pride with three goals including the game-clinching goal with 6:10 left in the game.
Hofstra came out of the gates firing, quickly jumping to a 2-0 advantage thanks to goals by junior middie Thomas Interlicchio and Muscarella. After Princeton scored to make it 2-1, Hofstra then rattled off five unanswered goals including a flawlessly run play by senior middies Michael Colleluori and Ryan Carter with five seconds left in the first half.
Carter added two goals and an assist for the Pride, while Princeton’s top scorer, sophomore attackman Jack McBride, had two goals of his own.
In preparations leading up to Saturday’s game against Princeton, Tierney told his team to better themselves, not even mentioning the Princeton team until Friday. “We needed to take care of ourselves today-win, lose, or draw. We had to focus on what we needed to accomplish to play better, not what the other team was going to do.”
The Hofstra Pride next travel to Sacred Heart University to play the 1-4 Pioneers on March 21. The Pride won their last meeting, 20-3.